These Apple Cider Caramels taste like fall wrapped up in a little square! They are buttery, and packed with real apple cider and cinnamon, that gives them cozy vibes you’ll love any time of the year! If you love homemade candy and want something a little different, this recipe is it!
These caramels have been tested to give you soft, chewy caramels with a strong apple cider flavor in every bite. Real apple cider is cooked down to concentrate the flavor in the caramels. The texture is smooth, chewy, and they hold their shape beautifully once cut and wrapped.
The caramels taste like something you’d buy from a fancy chocolate shop, and now you can make them at home!
Why you’ll Love these
- Great to Make Ahead: Caramels stay good when wrapped and stored at room temperature for up to 1 month. This means, they are perfect for making ahead, and helping you space out all your holiday candy making and baking!
- Warm Flavor: The apple cider and cinnamon flavor in these candies is perfectly balanced with the sweet caramel flavor! You’ll love them for fall, winter, or all year long!
- Soft and Chewy Texture: No hard caramels here, just classic, soft caramels with the best chewy texture.
Ingredients Needed
This is a quick overview of some of the ingredients you’ll need for this Apple Cider Caramel Recipe. The specific measurements and full recipe instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
- Apple Cider: Use real apple cider (it won’t be totally clear, and won’t have added sugar) not apple juice.
- Granulated Sugar: This cooks up and browns as it cooks and is what makes the caramel base.
- Light Corn Syrup: This helps keep your caramels extra smooth, and prevent them from being grainy or crystalizing
- Unsalted Butter: You can use salted butter and skip the added salt later.
- Evaporated Milk: Helps give the caramels their extra smooth texture.
- Ground Cinnamon: Adds a little extra apple flavor
How to make Apple Cider Caramels
Step 1: Cook down the Apple Cider. Add the apple cider to a large pot and cook over medium heat until it is cooked down to 1/2 cup, stir it occasionally. It will take about an hour to cook down, and it will seem so slow, but will speed up at the end.
Step 2: Cook the Caramel. Add the sugar, corn syrup, and butter to the pot with the concentrated apple cider. Stir occasionally as the mixture comes to a boil. Once boiling, very slowly add the evaporated milk a little bit at a time, so you don’t lower the temperature stirring constantly.
Step 3: Cook to the Firm Ball Stage. dd in a candy thermometer, and continue cooking the caramel, stirring constantly, until the caramel reaches about 245 to 250. Stir in the vanilla, salt, and cinnamon. Pour the mixture into a lined 8x8inch pan. Let the caramels set for a few hours until completely cooled.
Step 4: Cut and Wrap the Caramels. Using a sharp knife (you can run it under hot water then dry, or spray with nonstick spray occasionally to prevent it from sticking) cut the caramels into small pieces. Roll them up in cello wrap, or wax paper and store in an airtight container or enjoy.
Tips and Tricks
- Stir Constantly: Once the mixture starts to boil you need to stir it constantly to keep it from burning in any spots on the bottom of the pot.
- Use a Candy Thermometer – This is a recipe that needs a candy thermometer! You need to ensure your caramel reaches the right temperature for the perfect texture!
- Firm Ball Stage – You want to cook your caramels to be soft and chewy, but firm enough to hold their shape. The temperature range is between 244 and 250 F.
- Altitude – Altitude can greatly affect temperatures for your candy making. The easiest way to test this is by boiling a pot of water on the stove, and checking the temperature of the boiling water. At sea level water typically boils around 212 F. If your water boils lower than that (for example, mine boils at about 204 F) then I will lower my desired candy temperature also by 8 degrees. For a general guide:
- Sea level: You’ll want to your caramel to hit between 242 – 245 °F
- 2000 ft: Between 238 – 241 °F
- 4000 ft: Between 234 – 237 °F
- 6000 ft: Between 230 – 233 °F
- Cutting Caramels – Use a sharp knife, or a stainless steel scraper to cut the caramels into straight lines, then wrap individually. I also feel like sawing into the caramels can work too, working the knife forward and backward to avoid squishing the caramel as you cut.
Storage Instructions
Store the wrapped caramels in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 4 weeks. You can also freeze the caramels for up to 3 months. Let them thaw at room temperature for a few hours before enjoying.
These apple cider caramels have such a warm flavor. They feel extra special, but are totally worth the effort. They’re a standout treat for fall or winter! Perfect for gifting, or keeping them all to yourself.
More Homemade Candies
If you try these Apple Cider Caramels, please leave a 🌟 rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Apple Cider Caramels
Ingredients
- 4 cups Apple Cider
- 2 cups Granulated sugar
- 1/2 cups light corn syrup
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
- 12 oz evaporated milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Line a 8×8 in pan with parchment paper, and light grease. Set it aside.
- Add the apple cider to a large, heavy bottomed and heat it over medium on the stove top. Bring it to a simmer and cook until it is reduced to about 1/2 cup. 4 cups Apple Cider
- Add the sugar, corn syrup, butter, and salt to the large pot with the apple cider and heat it over medium on the stove top. Stir occasionally as the mixture comes to a boil. 2 cups Granulated sugar, 1/2 cups light corn syrup, 1/2 cup unsalted butter,
- Once boiling, very slowly add the evaporated milk a little at a time, a couple TBS at a time, stirring constantly. It will take a few minutes to add, and you need to stir the whole time so the milk doesn't significantly lower the temperature of the mixture. 12 oz evaporated milk
- Once all the milk has been added, add in a candy thermometer and continue cooking, stirring constantly until the mixture comes between 245 and 250 Fahrenheit.
- Once the temperature is reached, remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract, salt, and cinnamon. 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, and spread out the top as needed.
- Let the caramels cool for 30 minutes. Then sprinkle the top with flakey sea salt if desired. flaky sea salt
- Let the caramels cool until totally set. Lift the caramels out of the pan, with the parchment paper and cut them into bite sized pieces, using a sharp knife.
Notes
- Stir Constantly: Once the mixture starts to boil you need to stir it constantly to keep it from burning in any spots on the bottom of the pot.
- Use a Candy Thermometer – This is a recipe that needs a candy thermometer! You need to ensure your caramel reaches the right temperature for the perfect texture!
- Firm Ball Stage – You want to cook your caramels to be soft and chewy, but firm enough to hold their shape. The temperature range is between 244 and 250 F.
- Altitude – Altitude can greatly affect temperatures for your candy making. The easiest way to test this is by boiling a pot of water on the stove, and checking the temperature of the boiling water. At sea level water typically boils around 212 F. If your water boils lower than that (for example, mine boils at about 204 F) then I will lower my desired candy temperature also by 8 degrees. For a general guide:
- Sea level: You’ll want to your caramel to hit between 242 – 245 °F
- 2000 ft: Between 238 – 241 °F
- 4000 ft: Between 234 – 237 °F
- 6000 ft: Between 230 – 233 °F
- Cutting Caramels – Use a sharp knife, or a stainless steel scraper to cut the caramels into straight lines, then wrap individually. I also feel like sawing into the caramels can work too, working the knife forward and backward to avoid squishing the caramel as you cut.
Nutrition
Directions say reduce cider to 1/4 cup and recipe says reduce to 1/2 cup. Which is it?
So sorry, thanks for catching that. To 1/2 cup.